Fireflies
by KovuTheLion15
Summary: He thought himself foolish to love her, to believe that he, Joey Wheeler, could be loved by her. But maybe, with just a little luck and a few fireflies... maybe things just might go his way after all.


**I really hate my brain sometimes... the things it comes out with are just ridiculous...**

**Oh, hai dere! Well, while I was playing Far Cry and sorting through my deck at the same time, I found my thoughts drifting towards Mai and Joey. I've always wondered what could become of their love/hate, let's love each other in secrecy but not actually tell each other relationship, and this is what my brain gives me?**

**Thanks brain.*rolls eyes***

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! (owned by Shonen Jump). I own nothing else to do with this story other than it's plot.**

**RATED T FOR MILD SEXUAL REFERENCES.**

**A/N: This will be done using Anime names. So it's Joey, not that really long Japanese Manga name I can never pronounce:')**

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_"I love you."_

Those three words, that phrase, _that voice_, was both Joey Wheeler's curse, and his blessing. Joey twisted and turned, a big smile on his face. The Brooklyn blonde was deep in sleep, and he began to mutter her name, softly at first, but eventually it got louder and louder.

"Mai? Mai, what're you... Ugh..."

Joey kept twisting and turning, sweat running of his semi-naked body, soaking into the sheets that his sister had to change on a nightly basis. But now Joey had hit the bad part of his dream. This always happened; it would start off well, but end badly.

"Wait, what d'you mean I'm not good enough for you?" Joey would mutter, his eyes tight shut, as if fighting off inner demons. Perhaps he was.

"Mai, please! PLEASE! MAI!"

Joey sat bolt upright, clutching his heart and breathing hard. He wiped sweat of his forehead with the back of his hand, keeping his free hand dug into the sheets, as if holding onto the sheets kept his grip on reality.

This had been happening for a while now, so Joey was no stranger to these dreams. He just wish he knew what they meant...

Joey felt his inner self slap him very hard around the face. But of course, he knew the meaning of these dreams. After so many, there was just no point denying to himself anymore.

He, Joey Wheeler, the knuckle head, had fallen for Mai Valentine.

At first, when they met at Duelist Kingdom, Joey could not stand the blonde-haired, hot-enough-to-be-a-supermodel woman. For a teenage boy, Joey was not very sexually driven, nor did he really pay any attention to girls. Not really. Mai had changed that. After Battle City, when she had been freed from the Shadow Realm, Joey felt pressure lift for the first time in years; since his childhood, the pressure of looking after his sister, his friends... Mai was almost like a relief for him, a release valve for all the stored pressure. He had tried to tell her, before she drove off in that car without a backwards glance. His heart had shattered into a million pieces that day. All the protective barriers he had placed so carefully around his heart; she had knocked them all down, only to drive off into the sunset, and he did not go with her. He hated himself for not climbing into the car, giving her the company she oh so deserved.

Joey climbed out of bed, stripping from his boxers. He surveyed his bedside clock. 7:38pm the clock read. It was so early because his sister had suggested he get a very early night. Joey had hardly slept in days, and it was all because of these dreams. Suddenly, it hit him. He knew exactly what he must do.

Dressing carefully in his favourite green jacket, blue undershirt, blue jeans and Converse, he walked out of his bedroom, his mind made up and set.

He knew that he loved Mai... and now it was time to find out if she loved him. He knew the Mai in his dream did... but it was his dream! Anything happens in his dreams...

Anything... _That's half the problem!_ Joey told himself.

His sister had gone out for the night; she had made plenty of new friends and she clearly felt that Joey could cope alone. Joey left a note for Serenity, his little sister who worked hard to look after him, telling her where he was going. Picking up his cell phone, and his flat key, Joey walked from the flat into the warm summer air.

He was regretting the jacket now. But then again, if this went well, maybe Mai could pull it from his body...

_Come on Joey! Get a grip on y'self!_

As he walked the familiar route to Mai's apartment, hands in his pockets, head drooping like a child who had been caught stealing from the cookie jar, he began to make a list of all the good and bad things that could come of this.

_Well, _Joey thought, _If this goes well, these nightmares might stop. Plus, I might, just might, with a little bit of luck, end up with a girlfriend, and the woman who's been rated World's Sexist Duelist 2011, 2012 and 2013!_

Joey paused his own thought train for a moment to look up into the sky, where some little fireflies flew about in the air. Joey liked fireflies. To him, they symbolized hope. He remembered wishing upon one that his mother would bring Serenity back to him.

This never happened, but Joey would never give up. Everytime we saw a firefly, it would remind him of his wish. A wish which was now granted. So he wished upon this firefly, that he saw right now, that all would go well with Mai.

_Time to get the train back on it's tracks. So, what's bad about all this?_ Joey asked himself. _Well, she's nearly five years my senior, for a start. I'm also pretty sure she hates my guts, as she never can resist a good dig at me, at every available opportunity she gets. I mean, like that stunt she pulled when she got brought back from the Shadow Realm! I seriously thought she was still stuck there, I bear my innermost feelings, making myself look like a total jackass, and then I learn she was awake the whole time! I had hoped that would help..._

Evidently, there were no brakes on Joey's thought train, because it came to a crashing halt outside Mai's apartment door. Joey took a very deep breath and raised his right hand to knock. He hesitated. Is this really what he wanted? To find out, once and for all, if Mai Valentine really did love him?

Why was even he having to think about that? Duh!

He rapped on the door sharply three times in quick succession. He waited patiently for her to answer. He knew she was here.

"Coming!" Came Mai's voice from the other side of the door. Joey was already falling to pieces inside, but that voice was like a glue; it held him together. So he took another breath and steeled himself.

The door swung wide and Mai Valentine stood there in all her glory. She was missing her normal purple jacket, but was still wearing her white tube-top, which did nothing, (to Joey's delight and dismay), to cover her breasts or cleavage. Her purple skirt had also been replaced with some pink hot pants. She studied Joey carefully.

"Oh. What a... surprise Joey. Is everything alright? Ya knucklehead?" Mai asked, already poking fun at him.

Joey began to fidget. He didn't know what to do, but if Yugi's relationship with Tea had taught him anything, it was that honesty was the key. So he shook his head.

"No Mai. Things aren't alright. Can I... come in? I need to talk to you."

Mai looked taken aback by Joey's response, but backed up to let him in. Joey walked down the narrow, claustrophobic hallway into Mai's living room. He took a seat on the sofa, Mai joining him.

"Joey... talk to me." Mai said. "I know I might seem like a heartless bitch sometimes, but I honestly care about you. So, what's on your mind?" She asked.

"Well Mai... I keep dreaming about you. But it's not just any dream. They're..." Joey found the word was caught in his throat, but Mai could figure it out. She was flattered to say the least, and began to blush a little.

"Sexual." Mai said, turning her head so her blonde, curly hair covered the majority of her face, so that Joey would miss his blush.

"Y-Yes, and I'm sorry. But ever since I met you... I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. And that's the worst part. You see, once the... you know... deed is done... you break my heart over and over again."

Mai looked at him with concern. She had always suspected that this overgrown puppy dog had always had a crush on her (_I mean, it's so obvious, everyone but himself could see it, Mai thought, amused_) but she never ever expected that his feelings ever ran this deep. She took a deep breath.

It seems Joey had just said everything she had been preparing to say herself. But then, a genius but brilliant idea came to mind. Could she pull it off though?

"I'm sorry Joey. I wish there was something I could do..." Mai said, turning her head away even more.

_Yeah, there is, but it ain't ever gonna happen._ Joey thought, actually quite slyly to himself. "It's alright Mai. I'll just have to live with it. I can't make you like me."

That was it. Mai could stand it no longer.

"Joey?"

"Yeah Mai?"

"Do you think you could hang on here? For just, you know, about fifteen minutes? I just want to have a shower real quick. You can stay here tonight. I can't leave you alone. You sound in quite a state. Just stay there."

Joey nodded absent-mindedly, his mind obviously on other things. Mai knew what they were, and if this went well, she could help herself and Joey. So she left the room. Joey watched her go, then flipped on the TV. South Park was on, so he settled down to watch. But he found his mind kept drifting to the running water, to the blonde who was probably lathering herself up right now...

Joey shook his head, his blonde hair shaking vigorously upon his head. He focused again on Cartman, who was once again insulting Kyle, just as the water stopped and the door creaked open.

"Joey?"

Before Joey could even turn his head, there was a soft _whump_ as something, probably a towel, Joey mused, hit the floor.

_Wait, a TOWEL?_

Joey barely even dared himself to look up. And when he did...

There stood Mai Valentine, completely naked, blushing a beetroot red. Joey, not even realising what he was doing, stood and walked towards her. She lightly removed his jacket, kissing the nape of his neck.

"Joey?" She whispered.

"Yeah?" He barely got the response out. His heart was going like the clappers and his mind was otherwise occupied.

"I love you."

Joey winced. It was the same tone of voice, the same three words that haunted his nightmares. But this wasn't a nightmare. This was very, very real. Joey could feel Mai's body's against his own, her wet body pressing against his clothes, soaking them through. He buried his face in her neck, kissing lightly but quickly, unable to hold his self-control anymore. Mai made a small, pleasured sound, just as Joey inhaled deeply. He could smell her shampoo. It smelled fo summer, weirdly enough.

"I love you too Mai. You won't ever know just how long I've waited for you to say that." Joey said, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling sheepishly.

"Oh." Said Mai, kissing the tip of his nose lightly. "I think I do. Believe me."

The two smiled at one another, and Mai gave him one final lustful look before taking his hand and leading him towards his bedroom.

_Well, whaddya know? I guess dreams _do _come true._

Just as Joey slammed the door shut, one final thought crossed his mind.

_I love Fireflies._

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**Thanks brain. Thanks ever so much. *facepalm***

**So, if you made it to the end without vomiting, collect yourself a gold star on your way out.**

**Of course, please leave me a review. i might consider extending this, but I want your thoughts on this first. So, honest reviews, and I'll respond to each of you if you have any questions. Sound fair?**

**So, to all the Polarshipping fans out there, and of course, all other Yu-Gi-Oh! Fans, keep on duelling, and I'll see you soon!**

**-KovuTheLion15 XD**


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